Exhibit 1.2
CHASE MANHATTAN AUTO OWNER TRUST 2003-C
ASSET BACKED CERTIFICATES
CHASE MANHATTAN BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Seller and Servicer
CERTIFICATE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
December 9, 2003
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1. Introductory. Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association, a
national banking association (the "Bank"), proposes to form Chase Manhattan Auto
Owner Trust 2003-C (the "Trust") to sell $25,000,000 aggregate principal amount
of 2.78% Asset Backed Certificates (the "Certificates"), each representing a
fractional undivided interest in the Trust.
The assets of the Trust will include, among other things, a pool of
simple interest retail installment sales contracts and purchase money notes and
other notes (the "Receivables") secured by new and used automobiles (the
"Financed Vehicles") and certain monies received thereunder on or after the
opening of business on December 9, 2003, such Receivables to be transferred to
the Trust and serviced by the Bank, as Servicer, or by a successor Servicer. The
Original Pool Balance of the Receivables will equal approximately
$1,000,000,000. The Certificates will be issued pursuant to the Amended and
Restated Trust Agreement to be dated as of December 9, 2003 (as amended and
supplemented from time to time, the "Trust Agreement"), between the Bank and
Wilmington Trust Company, as owner trustee (the "Owner Trustee").
Simultaneously with the issuance and sale of the Certificates as
contemplated herein, the Trust will issue $212,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of Class A-1 1.14% Asset Backed Notes (the "Class A-1 Notes"),
$286,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Class A-2 1.60% Asset Backed Notes
(the "Class A-2 Notes"), $234,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Class A-3
2.26% Asset Backed Notes (the "Class A-3 Notes") and $243,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of Class A-4 2.94% Asset Backed Notes (the "Class A-4 Notes"
and, together with the Class A-1 Notes, the Class A-2 Notes and the Class A-3
Notes, the "Notes"), pursuant to the Indenture to be dated as of December 9,
2003 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the "Indenture"), between
the Trust and ▇▇▇▇▇ Fargo Bank Minnesota, National Association, as indenture
trustee (the "Indenture Trustee"), which will be sold pursuant to an
underwriting agreement dated the date hereof (the "Note Underwriting Agreement";
together with this Agreement, the "Underwriting Agreements") among the Bank and
the underwriters named therein (the "Note Underwriters"). The Notes and the
Certificates are sometimes referred to collectively herein as the "Securities".
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have
the meanings assigned to such terms in the Sale and Servicing Agreement to be
dated as of December 9, 2003 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the
"Sale and Servicing Agreement"), between the Trust and the Bank, as Seller and
Servicer.
This is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the
Certificates from the Bank by ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc. (the "Underwriter").
2. Representations and Warranties of the Bank. The Bank represents
and warrants to, and agrees with, the Underwriter, that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-109768) has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") in
accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Act"), and the Rules and Regulations under the Act (the "Rules and
Regulations"). Such registration statement, as amended on the date that such
registration statement or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto
became effective under the Act, including the exhibits thereto, is hereinafter
referred to as the "Registration Statement." The Registration Statement has
become effective, and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has
been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Bank, threatened by the Commission.
The conditions to the use of a registration statement on Form S-3 under the Act,
as set forth in the General Instructions to Form S-3, and the conditions of Rule
415 of the Rules and Regulations, have been satisfied with respect to the
Registration Statement. The Bank proposes to file with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a prospectus supplement to the Base
Prospectus (as defined herein) relating to the sale of the Securities (the
"Prospectus Supplement"). The base prospectus filed as part of the Registration
Statement, in the form it appears in the Registration Statement, or in the form
most recently revised and filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), is
hereinafter referred to as the "Base Prospectus." The Base Prospectus as
supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement is hereinafter referred to as the
"Prospectus."
(b) Except to the extent that the Underwriter shall have agreed to a
modification, the Prospectus shall be in all substantive respects in the form
furnished to the Underwriter prior to the execution of this Agreement or, to the
extent not completed at such time, shall contain only such material changes as
the Bank has advised the Underwriter, prior to such time, will be included or
made therein.
(c) The Registration Statement, at the time it became effective, and
the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, complied in all
material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 and the Rules and Regulations and did not include any
untrue statement of a material fact and, in the case of the Registration
Statement, did not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and, in the case of
the Prospectus, did not omit to state any material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; on the Closing Date (as defined herein), the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of the Closing Date,
will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act
and the Rules and Regulations, and neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or
supplement thereto will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided,
however, that the Bank makes no representation and warranty with respect to
information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus in reliance upon, or in conformity with, information furnished in
writing to the Bank by the Underwriter specifically for use in connection with
the preparation of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(d) The Bank is a national banking association organized under the
laws of the United States, with full power and authority to own its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and had at all relevant
times and has power, authority and legal right to acquire, own, sell and service
the Receivables.
(e) When the Notes have been duly executed by the Owner Trustee on
behalf of the Issuer and, when authenticated by the Indenture Trustee in
accordance with the Indenture and delivered upon the order of the Bank to the
Note Underwriters pursuant to the Note Underwriting Agreement and the Sale and
Servicing Agreement, the Notes will be duly issued and will constitute legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Trust enforceable against the Trust in
accordance with their terms, except to the extent that the enforceability
thereof may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
conservatorship, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to creditors' rights as such laws would apply in the event of the
insolvency, liquidation or reorganization or other similar occurrence with
respect to the Bank or the Trust or in the event of any moratorium or similar
occurrence affecting the Bank or the Trust and to general principles of equity.
(f) The direction by the Bank to the Owner Trustee to execute and
authenticate the Certificates has been duly authorized by the Bank and, when the
Certificates have been duly executed, authenticated and delivered by the Owner
Trustee in accordance with the Trust Agreement and delivered upon the order of
the Bank to the Underwriter pursuant to this Agreement and the Sale and
Servicing Agreement, the Certificates will be duly issued and entitled to the
benefits afforded by the Trust Agreement.
(g) The execution, delivery and performance by the Bank of this
Agreement, the Note Underwriting Agreement and the Basic Documents to which the
Bank is a party, and the consummation by the Bank of the transactions provided
for herein and therein have been, or will have been, duly authorized by the Bank
by all necessary action on the part of the Bank; and neither the execution and
delivery by the Bank of such instruments, nor the performance by the Bank of the
transactions herein or therein contemplated, nor the compliance by the Bank with
the provisions hereof or thereof, will (i) conflict with or result in a breach
or violation of any of the material terms and provisions of, or constitute a
material default under, any of the provisions of the articles of association or
by-laws of the Bank, (ii) conflict with any of the provisions of any law,
governmental rule, regulation, judgment, decree or order binding on the Bank or
its properties, (iii) conflict with any of the material provisions of any
material indenture, mortgage, contract or other instrument to which the Bank is
a party or by which it is bound, or (iv) result in the creation or imposition of
any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of its property pursuant to the terms
of any such indenture, mortgage, contract or other instruments, except, in the
case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for any such breaches or conflicts as would not
individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on the
transactions contemplated hereby or on the ability of the Bank to consummate
such transactions.
(h) When executed and delivered by the parties thereto, each of the
Sale and Servicing Agreement and the Trust Agreement will constitute a legal,
valid and binding obligation of the Bank, enforceable against the Bank in
accordance with its terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof
may be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, conservatorship,
moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to
creditors' rights as such laws would apply in the event of the insolvency,
liquidation or reorganization or other similar occurrence with respect to the
Bank or in the event of any moratorium or similar occurrence affecting the Bank
and to general principles of equity.
(i) All approvals, authorizations, consents, orders or other actions
of any person, corporation or other organization, or of any court, governmental
agency or body or official (except with respect to the state securities or "blue
sky" laws of various jurisdictions), if so required in connection with the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Note Underwriting
Agreement and the Basic Documents to which the Bank is a party has been or will
be taken or obtained on or prior to the Closing Date.
(j) As of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of
the Bank, as Seller and Servicer, in the Trust Agreement will be true and
correct.
(k) This Agreement and the Note Underwriting Agreement have been
duly executed and delivered by the Bank.
3. Purchase, Sale, Payment and Delivery of the Certificates. On the
basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Bank agrees to sell to
the Underwriter, and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Bank, at a
purchase price of 99.708060% of the face amount thereof, the Certificates plus
accrued interest at the Certificate Rate from December 16, 2003 to, but
excluding, the Closing Date.
The Bank will deliver the Certificates to the Underwriter against
payment of the purchase price in immediately available funds drawn to the order
of the Bank at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP in New York, New
York at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on December 16, 2003, or at such other
time not later than seven full business days thereafter as the Underwriter and
the Bank determine, such time being herein referred to as the "Closing Date."
The Certificates to be so delivered will be initially represented by one or more
definitive Certificates registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of The
Depository Trust Company ("DTC") and will be made available for inspection by
the Underwriter at the office where delivery and payment for such Certificates
is to take place no later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business
Day prior to the Closing Date.
4. Offering by the Underwriter. It is understood that the
Underwriter proposes to offer the Certificates for sale to the public (which may
include selected brokers and dealers) as set forth in the Prospectus.
5. Covenants of the Bank. The Bank covenants and agrees with the
Underwriter that:
(a) The Bank will file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations within the time prescribed therein
and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Underwriter of such timely filing.
During any period that a prospectus relating to the Certificates is required to
be delivered to purchasers of the Certificates by the Underwriter and dealers
participating in the initial offering and sale of the Certificates on the
Closing Date under the Act (without regard to any market making prospectus
required to be delivered by the Underwriter pursuant to the Act) (a "prospectus
delivery period"), the Bank will not file any amendments to the Registration
Statement, or any amendments or supplements to the Prospectus, unless it shall
first have delivered copies of such amendments or supplements to the
Underwriter, and if the Underwriter shall have reasonably objected thereto
promptly after receipt thereof; the Bank will promptly advise the Underwriter or
its counsel (i) when notice is received from the Commission that any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has become or will become
effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement
to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for any additional
information and (iii) of any order or communication suspending or preventing, or
threatening to suspend or prevent, the offer and sale of the Certificates or of
any proceedings or examinations that may lead to such an order or communication,
whether by or of the Commission or any authority administering any state
securities or "blue sky" law, as soon as the Bank is advised thereof, and will
use its reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order or
communication and to obtain as soon as possible its lifting, if issued.
(b) If, at any time during the prospectus delivery period, any event
occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary
at any time to amend the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Rules
and Regulations, the Bank promptly will prepare and file with the Commission
(subject to the Underwriter's prior review pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 5), an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or
omission or an amendment or supplement which will effect such compliance.
(c) The Bank will furnish to the Underwriter copies of the
Registration Statement, each preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the
Certificates, the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such
documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the
Underwriter may reasonably request.
(d) The Bank will cooperate with the Underwriter in arranging for
the qualification of the Certificates for sale and the determination of their
eligibility for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the
Underwriter designates and will cooperate in continuing such qualifications in
effect so long as required for the distribution of the Certificates; provided,
however, that neither the Bank nor the Trust shall be obligated to qualify to do
business in any jurisdiction in which it is not currently so qualified or to
take any action which would subject it to general or unlimited service of
process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
(e) For a period from the date of this Agreement until the
retirement of the Certificates, the Bank, as Servicer, will furnish to the
Underwriter copies of each certificate and the annual statements of compliance
delivered to independent certified public accountants' and reports furnished to
the Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee pursuant to the Sale and Servicing
Agreement, as soon as practicable after such statements and reports are
furnished to the Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee.
(f) So long as any of the Certificates is outstanding, the Bank will
furnish to the Underwriter as soon as practicable, (A) all documents
distributed, or caused to be distributed, by the Bank to the Certificateholders,
(B) all documents filed, or caused to be filed, by the Bank with respect to the
Trust with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), and any order of the Commission thereunder or
pursuant to a "no-action" letter from the staff of the Commission and (C) from
time to time, such other information in the possession of the Bank concerning
the Trust and any other information concerning the Bank filed with any
governmental or regulatory authority which is otherwise publicly available, as
the Underwriter may reasonably request.
(g) On or before the Closing Date, the Bank shall cause its computer
records relating to the Receivables to be marked to show the Trust's absolute
ownership of the Receivables, and from and after the Closing Date neither the
Bank nor the Servicer shall take any action inconsistent with the Trust's
ownership of such Receivables and the security interest of the Indenture Trustee
therein, other than as permitted by the Sale and Servicing Agreement.
(h) To the extent, if any, that the rating provided with respect to
the Certificates by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇, Standard & Poor's and/or Fitch is conditional upon
the furnishing of documents or the taking of any other actions by the Bank
agreed upon on or prior to the Closing Date, the Bank shall furnish such
documents and take any such other actions.
(i) For the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the
Closing Date, unless waived by the Underwriter, neither the Bank nor any trust
originated, directly or indirectly, by the Bank will offer to sell or sell notes
(other than the Notes) collateralized by, or certificates (other than the
Certificates) evidencing an ownership interest in, receivables generated
pursuant to retail automobile or light-duty truck installment sale contracts or
purchase money loans.
6. Payment of Expenses. The Bank will pay all expenses incident to
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
printing and filing of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of
each amendment thereto, (ii) the Indenture Trustee's and Owner Trustee's
acceptance fee and the reasonable fees and disbursements of the counsel to the
Indenture Trustee and counsel to the Owner Trustee, (iii) the fees and
disbursements of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, (iv) the fees of the Rating
Agencies and (v) blue sky expenses; provided, however, that the Underwriter may
reimburse the Bank for certain expenses incurred by the Bank as agreed to by the
Underwriter and the Bank.
7. Conditions to the Obligation of the Underwriter. The obligation
of the Underwriter to purchase and pay for the Certificates will be subject to
the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Bank
herein on the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the
statements of officers of the Bank made pursuant to the provisions hereof, to
the performance by the Bank of its obligations hereunder and to the following
additional conditions precedent:
(a) On or prior to the date hereof, the Underwriter shall have
received a letter (a "Procedures Letter"), dated the date of this
Agreement of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP verifying the accuracy of such
financial and statistical data contained in the Prospectus as the
Underwriter shall deem reasonably advisable. In addition, if any amendment
or supplement to the Prospectus made after the date hereof contains
financial or statistical data, the Underwriter shall have received a
letter dated the Closing Date confirming each Procedures Letter and
providing additional comfort on such new data.
(b) The Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed in the manner
and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations; and prior to the Closing Date, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.
(c) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
there shall not have occurred (i) any change, or any development involving
a prospective change, in or affecting particularly the business or
properties of the Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank or ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
which, in the reasonable judgment of the Underwriter, materially impairs
the investment quality of the Certificates or makes it impractical to
market the Certificates; (ii) any suspension or material limitation of
trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, or any
setting of minimum prices for trading on such exchange, or any suspension
of trading of any securities of the Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank or ▇.▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market by
such exchange or over-the-counter market or by the Commission; (iii) any
banking moratorium declared by federal or New York authorities; or (iv)
any outbreak or material escalation of major hostilities or any other
substantial national or international calamity or emergency if, in the
reasonable judgment of the Underwriter, the effect of any such outbreak,
escalation, calamity or emergency on the United States financial markets
makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with completion of the
sale of and any payment for the Certificates.
(d) The Underwriter shall have received opinions, dated the Closing
Date and reasonably satisfactory, when taken together, in form and
substance to the Underwriter, of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, special
counsel to the Bank, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Finger, P.A., special counsel to
the Trust, and such other counsel otherwise reasonably acceptable to the
Underwriter, with respect to such matters as are customary for the type of
transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) The Underwriter shall have received an opinion or opinions of
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, special counsel to the Bank, dated the
Closing Date and reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the
Underwriter, with respect to certain matters relating to the treatment of
the transfer of the Receivables from the Bank to the Trust by the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation and with respect to a grant of a security
interest in the Receivables to the Indenture Trustee, and an opinion of
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Finger, P.A., special counsel to the Bank, with respect
to the perfection of the Trust's and the Indenture Trustee's interests in
the Receivables.
(f) The Underwriter shall have received from Fried, Frank, Harris,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel to the Underwriter, such opinion or opinions,
dated the Closing Date and satisfactory in form and substance to the
Underwriter, with respect to the validity of the Certificates, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the
Underwriter may require, and the Bank shall have furnished to such counsel
such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon such matters.
(g) The Underwriter shall have received an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, special tax counsel to the Bank, dated the Closing
Date and reasonably satisfactory in form and to the effect (a) that under
current law the Notes will be characterized as debt, and the Trust will
not be characterized as an association (or a publicly traded partnership)
taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes and
(b) that, subject to the qualifications set forth therein, the statements
made in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption "Certain Federal
Income Tax Consequences," insofar as they purport to constitute summaries
of matters of United States federal tax law and regulations or legal
conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the
matters described therein in all material respects.
(h) The Underwriter shall have received an opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Finger, P.A., special counsel to the Owner Trustee, and such
other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriter and its counsel,
dated the Closing Date and satisfactory in form and substance to the
Underwriter, with respect to such matters as are customary for the type of
transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
(i) The Certificates have been rated "A" by Standard & ▇▇▇▇'▇, "▇▇"
by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ and "A+" by Fitch.
(j) The Underwriter shall have received a certificate, dated the
Closing Date, of an attorney-in-fact, a Vice President or more senior
officer of the Bank in which such person, to the best of his or her
knowledge after reasonable investigation, shall state that (i) the
representations and warranties of the Bank in this Agreement are true and
correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date, (ii) the
Bank has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing
Date, (iii) the representations and warranties of the Bank, as Seller and
Servicer, in the Sale and Servicing Agreement and, as Depositor, in the
Trust Agreement, are true and correct as of the dates specified in the
Sale and Servicing Agreement and the Trust Agreement, (iv) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued
and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are threatened
by the Commission, (v) subsequent to the date of the Prospectus, there has
been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of
operation of the Bank's automotive finance business except as set forth in
or contemplated by the Prospectus or as described in such certificate and
(vi) the Prospectus does not contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(k) On the Closing Date, all of the Notes shall have been issued and
sold pursuant to the Note Underwriting Agreement.
(l) The Class A-1 Notes shall have been rated "A-1+" by Standard &
Poor's, "P-1" by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ and "F1+" by Fitch, and the Class A-2 Notes,
Class A-3 Notes and Class A-4 Notes shall have been rated "AAA" by
Standard & Poor's, "AAA" by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ and "AAA" by Fitch.
(m) On the Closing Date, the Class R Certificate shall have been
issued to the Bank pursuant to the Trust Agreement.
The Bank will furnish the Underwriter, or cause the Underwriter to
be furnished, with such number of conformed copies of such opinions,
certificates, letters and documents as the Underwriter reasonably requests.
8. Indemnification. (a) The Bank will indemnify and hold harmless
the Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, to which the
Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus supplement, the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus (other than any market making prospectus)
or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of, or are based upon, the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and
will reimburse the Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by the Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any
such action or claim; provided, however, that (i) the Bank shall not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability
arises out of, or is based upon, an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement
in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Bank by the Underwriter expressly for use therein and (ii) such indemnity with
respect to any preliminary prospectus supplement shall not inure to the benefit
of the Underwriter (or any person controlling the Underwriter) from whom the
person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability purchased the
Certificates which are the subject thereof if such person did not receive a copy
of the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as supplemented) at or prior to the
confirmation of the sale of such Certificates to such person in any case where
such delivery is required by the Act and the untrue statement or omission of a
material fact contained in such preliminary prospectus supplement was corrected
in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as supplemented).
(b) The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Bank,
its directors, each of its officers or agents who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Bank within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section
8, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or
alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in any preliminary prospectus
supplement, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Bank by the Underwriter expressly for use in such preliminary
prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Each indemnified party shall give prompt notice to the
indemnifying party of any action commenced against the indemnified party in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an
indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have hereunder or otherwise, other than on account of this
indemnity agreement. In case any such action shall be brought against an
indemnified party and it shall have notified the indemnifying party of the
commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate
therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not,
except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying
party with respect to such action), and it being understood that the
indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or separate
but substantially similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising
out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the
reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys, and,
after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to the indemnified party under subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 8
for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case
subsequently incurred by the indemnified party, in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
(d) The obligations of the Bank under this Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Bank may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls the
Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the Underwriter's obligations
under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Underwriter
may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each
officer and director of the Bank and to each person, if any, who controls the
Bank within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act.
9. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable
contribution in circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in
Section 8 is for any reason held to be unavailable other than in accordance with
its terms, the Bank and the Underwriter shall contribute to the aggregate
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by
said indemnity agreement incurred by the Bank or the Underwriter, as incurred,
in such proportions so that the Underwriter is responsible for that portion
represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount and commissions
bear to the initial public offering price appearing thereon and the Bank is
responsible for the balance; provided, however, that no person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each person, if any,
who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act shall
have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriter, and each director of
the Bank, each officer or agent of the Bank who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Bank within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Bank.
10. Survival of Certain Representations and Obligations. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Bank or its officers and of the Underwriter set forth in or
made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless
of any investigation or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on
behalf of the Underwriter, the Bank or any of their respective representatives,
officers or directors or any controlling person, and will survive delivery of
and payment for the Certificates. If for any reason the purchase of the
Certificates by the Underwriter is not consummated, the Bank shall remain
responsible for the expenses to be paid or reimbursed by it pursuant to Section
6 and the respective obligations of the Bank and the Underwriter pursuant to
Sections 8 and 9 shall remain in effect. If the purchase of the Certificates by
the Underwriter is not consummated for any reason other than solely because of
the occurrence of any event specified in clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv) of Section
7(c), the Bank will reimburse the Underwriter for all out-of-pocket expenses
(including fees and disbursements of counsel) reasonably incurred by it in
connection with the offering of the Certificates.
11. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and, if
sent to the Underwriter, will be mailed, delivered or telegraphed and confirmed
to the Underwriter at ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: North American ABS, or, if sent to the
Bank, will be mailed, delivered, or telegraphed and confirmed to Chase Manhattan
Bank USA, National Association, c/o Chase Manhattan Automotive Finance
Corporation, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention:
Financial Controller.
12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of, and be
binding upon, the parties hereto and their respective successors. Nothing
expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to
give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their
respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors
referred to in Sections 8 and 9 and their heirs and legal representatives, any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement
or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and
officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the
benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Certificates
from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such
purchase.
13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement.
14. No Bankruptcy Petition. The Underwriter covenants and agrees
that, prior to the date which is one year and one day after the payment in full
of all securities issued by the Trust, it will not institute against, or join
any other person in instituting against, the Trust any bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings or other
proceedings under any Federal or state bankruptcy or similar law.
15. APPLICABLE LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
If the foregoing is in accordance with the Underwriter's
understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to us the enclosed
duplicate hereof, whereupon it will become a binding agreement between the Bank
and the Underwriter in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
CHASE MANHATTAN BANK USA,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President
The foregoing
Underwriting Agreement is
hereby confirmed and
accepted as of the date
first written above:
▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES INC.
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President
